No Winner Declared for $425 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

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Chad Cuneo counts out his money for his to buy Mega Millions lottery tickets at a newsstand Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, in Philadelphia. Superstition didn't deter players hoping that Friday the 13th will bring them good luck in the Mega Millions game as heavy sales prompted lottery officials to boost the estimated jackpot to $425 million. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Superstition didn't deter players hoping that Friday the 13th would bring them good luck in the recently revamped Mega Millions game, as heavy sales prompted lottery officials to boost the jackpot from $400 million to $425 million. However, according to the Mega Millions website, there were no winners in tonight's drawing.

The winning numbers in Friday night's drawing for that massive jackpot were 27, 26, 24, 19, 70, with a Mega Ball number 12.

Paula Otto, the Virginia Lottery's executive director and Mega Millions' lead director, said sales were 40 percent ahead of projections, prompting officials to boost the jackpot before the Friday night drawing.

"Won't it be fun if we have a huge lottery winner on Friday the 13th?" she said. "I always say there are no unlucky numbers in the lottery. I work on the 13th floor of our building. I like 13."

Unfortunately her hope didn't turn into a reality as there were no winners in Friday's drawing. The next drawing will be Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The estimated $425 million jackpot was the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever, trailing a $656 million jackpot in March 2012, and it is the fifth-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The jackpot has rolled over 20 times, and a winner from Friday night's drawing could have had a cash option of $228 million before taxes.

Tom Leuangkhamsone doesn't usually play Mega Millions, but he bought one ticket Friday morning at a convenience store in Atlanta.

"She's selling me the winner right now," he said to the store owner as he turned in a sheet with his family's birthdays on them. It's the numbers he uses all the time. Aside from his own personal ticket, he plays in a work pool that uses a combination of set numbers and the automated Easy Pick option.

"I actually think we have a better chance with the Easy Pick," he said. "But I don't care how we win, as long as we win."

A major game revamp to Mega Millions in October — aimed at growing bigger jackpots in a shorter amount of time — decreased the odds of a person winning the top prize to about 1 in 259 million. It was previously about 1 in 176 million, nearly the same odds as winning the Powerball jackpot. Still, the cost for a chance at winning millions with Mega Millions is just $1.